Expectations
by Arabella Thorne
Summary: It is Celebrian's begetting day...Happy Happy Joy Joy right?? Not when you are seven months pregnant with twins. Happy Birthday Nemis!


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A little Elrond/Celebrian mushiness.......

Happy Birthday Nemis!!!

It was Celebrian's begetting day.

All Imladris knew it of course.

What they didn't know was the celebrant was in a bad mood.

She was in the seventh month of carrying twins, and she was tired, her ankles were swollen and every time she looked into a mirror or a reflecting pool, she felt uglier and uglier.

And even her husband, the wise and kind Elrond, was sore pressed to chivvy her out of her bad mood.

"No, I do NOT want to go for a walk! I don't care if the daffodils and narcissus are in bloom." She slapped the beckoning hand of the Lord of Imladris away. 

Celebrian had not even gotten out of bed this morning. She knew her hair was all tangled and though a light breakfast had been brought to their rooms, she could eat very little. 

She did not care that when she awoke, her eyes fell on flowers everywhere, even to soft rose petals floating about the sheets and pooling in the indented pillow next to hers.

"Come my love, I think you need a change of view. It is a lovely day."

Elrond bent and picked up his wife, easily carrying her and their sons.

Celebrian's eyes filled with tears. "I do not want to go outside! I look a fright!"

Elrond bent and kissed her. "No my love you look radiantly pregnant and all Imladris knows."

"What do you know about it? I am waddling like one of the fabled oliphaunts of the South," she said sourly.

Upset, she hid her face against the soft lavender robe her husband wore today, because he knew she loved purple.

Elrond bent and kissed his fretful wife again, stopping to give it his full attention. And for a minute, there was silence.

He also pushed a little calmness into his wife's fractious soul and with a smile as he slowly raised his head, he could feel some of her tension drain away.

Sighing, Celebrian looked up at him as they continued their stroll. She wiped her eyes quickly. "That was not fair."

"You feel a bit better, now do you not?"

Nodding, she leaned against him and remained quiet.

Elrond took his wife to her favorite garden, the one where almost all the blossoms were of some shade of purple. There was a comfortable chaise in the shade of an orchid tree, which was just beginning to blossom with purple blooms with white centers, where the elf lord settled his wife. Drawing up a warm blanket at the foot of it, he covered her. 

Then he turned to a small table and picked up her hairbrush.

Moving behind her, hitching up his robe, he sat her up and put both legs on either side of her and she leaned against him contentedly.

He whispered in her ear, "Lean forward my love, so I may brush your hair."

Obliging, Elrond began his slow, well-practiced rhythm of stroking her hair with her brush. Straight down from her crown to the soft ends. 

He took his time, and when he was finished, she was sound asleep.

Settling himself more comfortably against the back of the chaise, he put his arms around her. He loved the warm heavy weight of her breasts against his arms. Soon they would see their sons and he knew how wonderful it would be to see them both nursing against her alabaster flesh.

He bent and kissed her ear, relaxing into dreams of fatherhood.

The late afternoon sun was slanting through the trees and Celebrian sported three orchid tree blooms in her hair.

Elrond awoke and found his wife awake too.

He bent and kissed her neck and she turned awkwardly to kiss him properly.

Delighted, he returned her ardor and gently began massaging her swollen abdomen. She sighed against his mouth and then leaned back on him again, enjoying the feel of his warm hand on her tight muscles.

"Do you want to go back to the House my love or could we stroll somewhere else?"

"I am happy enough here Elrond. Though I am a bit hungry."

"I shall get you some food then," He made to rise, but she stayed his departure with a hand. "No, not yet, that feels so good. The boys have been so active lately."

Elrond smiled, his long dark hair mingling with his wife's as he sent deep warmth into her, in hopes of settling the twins down. He felt Celebrian relax further and he smiled. The twins were quiet too.

"I'll go get you some food and---"

"I would like some chicken, if there is some. And grapes? Not green ones. And perhaps a glass of raspberry juice. With a sprig of mint? I do not want fish....nor beef..."

Elrond stopped her litany with a quick kiss. "I shall just go see what we have."

Nodding Celebrian let him go.

With a sigh, the elf lord strode out of the garden. Perhaps his begetting day gift should not wait for the evening meal.

Once done in the kitchen seeing to everything she had requested. Elrond made his way back to his suite of rooms. Going into his wardrobe, he went to the high shelf and pulled down the gift he had made for her. It was a thin necklace of mithril chain with two tear drop pearls and three amethysts dangling from it. He slipped it into a pocket.

He had made it himself over several months time when he could get away from his other duties and not raise her suspicions.

Coming back out to the garden, he frowned slightly as Celebrian was not on the chaise. Perhaps she HAD decided to go for a walk.

Going out of the garden, he decided which way she would go. Probably out to the Bruinen to dangle her feet in the water. She had done that several times and though he worried she might get a chill, she said it made them feel less swollen.

Catching sight of her form, he picked up his pace when he saw she was out in the river on a rock. 

Pulling off his boots hastily and hiking up his robe, he waded out to her.

"My love, what are you doing out here? You could slip and hurt yourself."

"I, well, I decided I wanted to walk after all. And the water beckoned and then I got tired and I did slip. She held up her left ankle from the water. There was a nasty gash on the inside across the bone.

"Um, the rocks shifted. But I did not hurt the twins." She looked up at him worried. She just knew this was going to make him over protective. And she was so sick of being cosseted and coddled, as if she would break. 

Sure enough, his face went all serious and he picked her up and waded back to shore, letting his robe dangle in the fast moving stream.

He left his boots on the shore, knowing he could fetch them later and went back to the House.

"No, no Elrond, do not take me to our rooms! I don't want to go back to bed! Or lay on the couch in your study while you work! Just-just take me back to the garden."

"All right. Your meal should be ready by now anyway."

Passing a group of mounted elves as they walked back, they were showered with begetting day greetings and were serenaded by a lovely four-part harmony.

Celebrian dimpled and thanked them profusely.

With a wave, the group rode on.

"Well that was very nice," Celebrian said nestling against Elrond's chest. She liked the unexpectedness of it.

"Everyone knows dear heart it is your begetting day. Have you not heard from your parents this day?"

"Yes, this morning as I lay in bed. Mother gave me advice on food and Ada just sent his love and hoped I was doing well."

"I am glad. I am sorry they could not be here."

"They are coming for the birth in a few months, so that will be fine."

The two elves entered the garden again, and indeed a meal for two was set out on a table by the chaise.

Tenderly placing Celebrian down, the elf lord covered her with the blanket again and bent and kissed her. "I shall just go get some bandages and salve sweetheart. I shall be right back. Do start your meal."

Sighing, Celebrian nodded. Well, at least he was not fussing too much.

And the food smelled wonderful. 

Celebrian was almost done with her chicken when Elrond came back with a jar of salve and a roll of linen.

While she devoured her grapes, Elrond efficiently cleaned and salved the wound. It really could use a stitch or two, but he knew Celebrian would not tolerate that now, so he did what he could.

Finished, he set aside his supplies and joined her in the meal. He was delighted to see her eat with a good appetite.

By the time he was done with a glass of mead, He saw Celebrian was nodding off again. Rising, he tucked the blanket about her better and resumed his seat.

He enjoyed watching her sleep. He loved the way the sun glowed in her hair and accentuated the firm roundness of her abdomen. Seeing her thus made such strong protective feelings swell in his heart. He could almost not bear to have her sleeping there and himself sitting at her side. He wanted to wrap himself around her and protect her from everything, forever.

His love was like an overflowing cup. Love just kept pouring in and pouring out over the edge...he could not contain it all.

Going up to her, he bent and kissed her again and lay a hand on her. The twins were resting too. Deciding this was a good time to go get the supply lists Erestor had left him, he went back to his study and then quickly rejoined his wife.

By the time the sun was getting close to the western wall of the gorge, Elrond decided they needed to go back to their suite. They were going to have an intimate dinner for two on the terrace outside their rooms at sunset.

Placing Celebrian on the bed, she awoke and looked up at Elrond and immediately sat up. "I do not want to sleep anymore." She swung her legs off the bed and Elrond moving closer, looked at her with amusement, his arms folded before him. "You are right, you do not need any more sleep just now. However, I do not think you can stand."

"Of course I can." She put her feet down and stood up, balancing carefully. But she realized that he was right. She could stand, but could not walk.

She fell heavily back to the bed, her head down. Oh this was a terrible begetting day.

Elrond seeing her unhappiness, decided this was a good time to give her his present.

Pulling it out of his pocket, he knelt before his wife and held out the small box. 

She took it and looked up at him. When she opened it an appreciative "Oooo" came from her. She slowly pulled out the fall of mithril and jewels and held it before her.

"Oh my love, where did you get such a beautiful necklace?"

"I made it."

"Oh, but how? When?'

"Sometimes late at night. Sometimes when you were napping, whenever I could."

He took it from her and carefully put it around her neck.

Getting a mirror he held it up to her and she admired herself. "It is so beautiful my love! I shall cherish it always!"

He caught her in a tender embrace and they kissed deeply and long.

There was a discreet knock on the door, and Elrond pulled reluctantly away and the two stared into each other's souls, glowing with love. "Come" he said finally, standing.

Three elves, a kitchen helper named Daslarin, Glorfindel and Erestor, came in bearing dinner and a vase of Celebrian's favorite lavender roses and set the table on the terrace. One left the chaffing dishes on a small table near the open doors to the terrace.

Elrond picked up Celebrian and set her down gently at the table. And when he sat, the two were served. Duck in peach sauce, steamed rice and delicate greens. A glass of mead for Elrond and some watered down white wine for Celebrian with a dash of fruit juice in it.

And finally, Glorfindel, set a box wrapped in gold cloth and tied with a purple ribbon. "From all of us here in Imladris," he said, looking at her. "With our Lord's blessing."

Celebrian delighted smiled at him. 

Just then, a chorus of singers began singing below the terrace and their harmony was picked up and began echoing all through the elven refuge until the music swelled in glory.

She sat back, a hand to her throat, overwhelmed.

Glorfindel bowed and the elves left.

Celebrian grinned like an elfing and untied the ribbon. She wove it into a long tress of her hair and then pulled the cloth away from an ornately carved box. Opening the box, her mouth dropped in awe and she sat back a moment, stunned. She threw a glance at her smiling husband who just said, "Well, what is it?"

Pulling the object carefully out, she placed it before her on the table.

The candlelight glittered inside a glass globe that sat on a trio of silver feet shaped like mallorn leaves. Drawn like a moth to a flame, she put both hands on it, staring into the milky interior.

The orb began to glow like a lantern and slowly, the light began to move and sparkle like one of Mithrandir's fireworks. It sent coruscating light over the white linen, china and silverware.

Both elves sat there enchanted.

"It is so beautiful Elrond! What is it?"

"It is of Dwarven make. It is called a _nemis_ globe. It is filled with a collection of special jewels from deep in Moria and once you have put your hands on it, it becomes attuned to your spirit and sends out a rainbow of light when you touch it.

"Ohhh, Elrond. Oh. I..I cannot think of anything to say!"

She tried to get up, but he quickly stood and went around the table. Kneeling at her side, he wrapped his arms around her.

Automatically placing a hand on the mound of her stomach, he could feel the twins stirring.

"The boys say happy begetting day too my love."

She put a hand atop of his and whispered. "Thank you for the best begetting day I have ever had!"

"You are welcome love! Let us finish our meal, so we can retire. I have a few more presents I would like to give you."

Celebrian's eyes grew wide and she attacked her meal with an appetite.

Elrond grinning at his wife's hurry, chuckled.

"Save room for desert!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~the end~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


End file.
